Contrary to Monday’s report that Metallica contacted the US military and requested that they cease using Metallica records as an instrument of torture during prisoner interrogation in Iraq, the Soundwave 2013 headliners have denied any such conversation took place.

Metallica claimed to have never spoken on the subject with the US military in any capacity in a short statement on the band’s website titled Clearing The Air. This longer version was also posted on their Facebook page:

“There has been a lot of talk recently about us asking the military not to use our music to “soften people up before interrogation”. We NEVER commented to the military either way on this matter. Any statements that have been made otherwise are not correct.”

The story originated from an Esquire interview with the US Navy SEAL who shot and killed Osama Bin Laden on 2nd May, 2011. “When we first started the war in Iraq, we were using Metallica music to soften people up before we interrogated them,” the SEAL said.

In the same Esquire article, it is also revealed that the US Navy SEAL listened to Red Nation by The Game prior to the operation:

“During the day, the group would work with our gear, work out. Nighttime was poker and refreshments, or what is called “fellowship,” while they waited for a go from Obama himself. On the treadmill, the Shooter listened to “Red Nation” by the rapper Game. It’s about leaving blood on the ground. We were the Red Team and we were going to leave some blood.”